I have to put a 3/4″ hole in plaster. It is about 3/8″ plaster over 3/8″ plaster board.
Just one hole, what are my options. Use a cheap hole saw and then replace the cutter? Will a paddle bit work?
Not worth it to get a carbide blade.
But I have been use a carbide sawzall blade where I have had to make cuts and that is SWEET.
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Replies
I've used spade bits fine to do the same, although slightly smaller holes, also in Rock Lath walls which seems to be what you are talking about. Just use a shop vac while you are drilling.
What's the dilema here? Any drill bit wide enough will go through it. Am I missing something?
Take a piece of coat hanger wire about 3-4" long. Whack one end of it on the flat with a hammer to make a kind of mini spade bit. Chuck this in a drill, and use it to drill the center of the required hole.
Now take a scrap of one by and an ordinary drill, put two small holes thru it 3/8" apart. One hole gets a long nail thru it, to fit in the center pilot hole. The other gets a shorter nail, extending far enough to go thru the plaster. Put the long nail in the pilot hole, rotate the block around it while pressing the shorter nail into the plaster to scratch out a circular gouged hole.
This will take some time, but will produce a fairly neat hole the right size. Probably quicker than going out to buy an expendable hole saw, unless you live real close to the store.
-- J.S.
I'd just go for it with the hole saw. It won't trash it on one hole.
ThanksThis is the first time dealing with plaster. I know that it is hard and abrasive, just don't know how bad it is .
Sound plaster will cut very nicely and make a lot of dust. Better if over board than wood lath, but both cut well with a hole saw, pretty well with a spade bit. Jigsaw or recip shakes things up and can start causing cracks.